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Bio-Inspired Sensing and Hierarchical GN&C for Traversing Urban Clutter

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Air Force 		Award ID:
82237 		Program Year/Program:
2007 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
F071-259-1532 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
9950 Wakeman Drive Manassas, VA -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2007
Title: Bio-Inspired Sensing and Hierarchical GN&C for Traversing Urban Clutter
Agency / Branch: DOD / USAF
Contract: FA8650-07-M-3732
Award Amount: $99,975.00
 

Abstract:

Aurora proposes to develop a cluttered navigation and control solution, which uses specialized sensing and processing to provide commanded body rates, velocities, etc. to a traditional MAV inner-loop stability augmentation system, thus enabling the MAV to fly urban and other cluttered-environment missions. Three elements make up our approach: (1) Methods based on Wide-Field Integration (WFI) to enable vision-based negotiation through a near-field environment of relatively large obstacles, maintaining a path through the cluttered environment: (2) Active sensing of imminent collisions using bat-inspired echolocation sensors (ELS), and (3) Hierarchical application of behavioral and automaton-based navigation and maneuvering strategies. We believe our approach is the best combination of technologies and algorithms because (1) The components and algorithms have been proven suitable for low size, weight, and power applications; (2) robustness to sensor inaccuracies, environmental factors (wind, fog, leafless trees, etc.), and vehicle state deviations will be achieved through the complementary properties of the optical and acoustic devices; and (3) Aurora will take a system-level perspective, applying its vehicle integration expertise to focus the effort on an appropriate and balanced combination of technologies - weaknesses in one technology will be mitigated by overlapping capabilities.

Principal Investigator:

James Paduano
PI/PM
6172254381
jpaduano@aurora.aero

Business Contact:

Diana Eichfeld
Contracts Manager
7033966329
deichfeld@aurora.aero
Small Business Information at Submission:

AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES CORP.
9950 Wakeman Drive Manassas, VA 20110

EIN/Tax ID: 541502935
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No